Effective treatment of psoriasis: a set of measures

Psoriasis is a very unpleasant skin disease that brings a lot of inconvenience to the patient who is unfortunate enough to contract it.In addition to the fact that the skin looks very unaesthetic, the patient constantly experiences many other unpleasant sensations.Yes, the disease is not fatal, but often the patient has to radically change his habits and lifestyle.

Unfortunately, even today it is simply impossible to completely cure psoriasis.However, there are many techniques and treatments that can help a lot and greatly alleviate the patient's suffering.

The best effect can be achieved using complex therapy, in which one tries to influence the disease from different angles.To do this, several treatment methods are combined.In today's material we will consider in more detail how to correctly carry out complex treatment of psoriasis and what can be included in it, as well as what points should be taken into account.

Factors to consider when choosing treatment

First, let's remember that you should never self-medicate!Even if you are completely confident in your strengths and abilities, it is still better to consult a professional dermatologist.It will be better this way.

Before prescribing treatment, your doctor will consider the following factors:

• age and sex of the patient: the older he is, the more difficult the disease can be treated;
• hereditary factors – the risk of getting sick increases when parents or close relatives also suffer from psoriasis;
• stage of the disease: the later you contact a specialist, the more difficult the treatment will be;
• severity of the disease: when psoriasis is mild, it is much easier to fight it;
• the form of the course and the affected parts of the body: the more severe it is, the more difficult it is to choose an effective treatment;
• possible allergic reactions - in this case not all drugs can be taken;
• place and type of work: some companies have very unfavorable working conditions, which have a very negative impact on the general state of health and the development of psoriasis;
• region of residence - if you live in a region with heavily polluted air, this negatively affects the perception of various diseases, and psoriasis develops more intensively;
• the presence of bad habits: regular smoking and alcohol consumption affect the internal organs, increasing the risk of psoriasis;
• concomitant diseases - if you suffer from certain diseases of internal organs, psoriasis can be a complication.

It is unlikely that you will be able to correctly determine all the factors on your own.If you start self-treatment, this is fraught with serious complications.Therefore, a specialist dermatologist will certainly prescribe the necessary tests to determine all other factors and only then prescribe treatment.

Set of measures for the treatment of psoriasis

In order for the treatment of psoriasis at home to be as effective as possible, several sets of measures are often used.Within their framework, several drugs that affect different body systems are used simultaneously.So, the treatment regimen may include:

• external treatment— various creams, ointments to act on the skin and eliminate external signs of the disease;
• systemic drugs- tablets, mixtures that affect internal organs and fight the disease from the inside;
• physiotherapeutic procedures- to reduce inflammatory processes - laser and cryotherapy, acupressure, ultraviolet irradiation;

• spa treatment- therapeutic procedures, for example, leeches, mud baths and clean air, since resorts are usually located in an ecologically clean area;
• special diet- exclude foods that can harm the gastrointestinal tract, for example fried, spicy, salty and pickled foods.

There are actually many methods of therapy.Let us consider each method of a series of therapeutic measures in more detail.

External treatment

Basically, how does psoriasis begin to develop?First, the function of the epidermis, the stratum corneum of the skin, is disrupted.For this reason the skin no longer receives the necessary amount of moisture and becomes too dry.Gradually, dryness and peeling intensify, and since dead skin particles do not have time to be removed, so-called psoriatic plaques appear.All this is accompanied by itching and inflammation.During periods of exacerbation, they do not decrease either day or night.

To eliminate all these symptoms, drugs are prescribed for the external treatment of psoriasis.They are also prescribed strictly individually.For what purpose are external preparations used?

1. It eliminates pain, relieves swelling, reduces flaking and also improves appearance by reducing rashes and reducing the number of psoriatic plaques.
2. Minimize the influence of various external factors.
3. It affects the foci of the disease as quickly as possible and brings quick relief.

External preparations for psoriasis include ointments, creams, lotions, gels and other preparations.All of them are divided into two main groups: hormonal and non-hormonal.Let's look at each group separately.

1. Non-hormonal drugs.The name speaks for itself: the drugs do not contain hormonal components.They act on the epidermis and quickly remove layers of dead skin, disinfect damaged areas, have an antiviral and antimicrobial effect, also qualitatively moisturize the skin and increase its elasticity.Such preparations contain beeswax, natural oils and other natural ingredients, as well as salicylic acid, dithranol, sulfur, urea and other substances.They have numerous excellent properties and act on the areas of the skin affected by psoriasis very quickly and effectively.
2. Hormonal drugs.They contain a certain amount of synthetic hormone from the corticosteroid group.Many experts prefer them because, due to the presence of the hormone in the composition, they act almost instantly, literally in a few minutes, providing the desired effect.But, unlike non-hormonal drugs, such drugs should be used with caution.Firstly, if you delay therapy a little, this can lead to hormonal imbalance and, as a result, serious complications.Secondly, if you suddenly stop taking the drug, the so-called "withdrawal effect" may occur, in which the symptoms not only return, but intensify.

When and how to choose the right group of drugs?What drugs are best to use?

1. In the progressive stage, ointments containing salicylic acid and anti-inflammatory hormonal ointments are often used.Of course, initially you will try to achieve the desired effect with drugs with a weaker concentration of the active substance.If there are no effects, stronger ones are used.These drugs contain a higher dose of fluoride.In most cases, patients experience positive dynamics within two weeks of starting regular use.
2. For the treatment of elderly people and children, drugs that do not contain chlorine and fluorine are used, which significantly reduces the number of possible allergic reactions.These drugs are relatively new, appearing on the pharmaceutical market only a few years ago, but are gradually becoming more and more popular.
3. Ointments and creams based on dethranol have a rapid and long-lasting effect when used.The beginning of treatment involves the prescription of minimal doses with a gradual increase.The drugs mainly aim to reduce inflammation.However, other adverse reactions may occur, such as swelling, itching and redness, which, against the background of similar symptoms of psoriasis, somewhat limits the scope of use of drugs in this group.
4. One of the new drugs is a drug that directly affects the causes of psoriasis.Its main active ingredient is calcipotriol, which suppresses the development of pathogenic processes.After just two months, the general condition of the skin improves significantly, the number of inflamed and damaged areas, as well as peeling, decreases.Interestingly, in most cases there are no side effects characteristic of other drugs for psoriasis.There are cases where one course of treatment is enough to achieve a remission that lasts up to a year.The strongest effect is achieved when the treatment is carried out using an integrated approach, and the effect occurs in combination with other means, most often physiotherapeutic procedures.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that long-term use of drugs is not recommended, as addiction may develop.As a result, the effectiveness of the treatment decreases significantly.

Systemic drugs

As already mentioned, one of the possible causes of psoriasis is diseases of the internal organs.Accordingly, to get rid of psoriasis, it is necessary to take drugs that can help in the treatment regimen of diseases of internal organs.These can be tablets, injections, drip and other drugs, which must be selected individually.What therapy can be prescribed for psoriasis?

1. Anti-inflammatory drugs will relieve inflammation and reduce the influence of various viruses and microbes.A comprehensive treatment regimen for psoriasis is often used.
2. Antiallergic drugs.Since allergies often make psoriasis symptoms worse, these medications can help significantly.
3. Antipsoriatic drugs.They act on the skin restoration process, normalize the life cycle of its cells, and also eliminate the side effects of the disease.
4. Antifungal drugs.Since the fungal infection significantly complicates the course of psoriasis, it is very important to fight it effectively.
5. Drugs to combat the pathological formation of new cells that do not have a specific purpose.Over time, in the absence of a treatment regimen, such cells can accumulate in large numbers in the body.

Depending on the complexity of the condition and the degree of damage to other organs, other, more potent drugs may be used.However, despite the good effect, you should not abuse it, as the side effects can be very serious.

Physiotherapy procedures

Although it is impossible to cure psoriasis with physiotherapeutic procedures alone, with proper selection they can both enhance the effect of drugs and speed up the recovery process at the final stage of complex treatment.What procedures are prescribed for the complex treatment of psoriasis?

1. Ultraviolet irradiation or phototherapy.A special agent is prescribed that improves the body's perception of ultraviolet radiation, after which the surface of the skin affected by psoriasis is irradiated with ultraviolet waves of a certain length.
2. Laser therapy.Interestingly, laser waves act only on diseased skin, without affecting healthy tissue.
3. Cryotherapy.Liquid air, nitrogen or helium, with a temperature of up to -296 degrees, is briefly applied to damaged areas of the body surface.
4. Ichthyotherapy.The affected areas are treated with a special type of fish.
5. Hirudotherapy is a treatment that uses leeches.

6. Therapeutic baths with soothing and anti-inflammatory herbs such as chamomile or celandine, as well as starch and flaxseed.
7. Acupuncture.True, you should be careful when choosing a specialist, since an incorrectly performed procedure can have unpredictable consequences that may take a long time to treat.

Spa treatment

A visit to a sanatorium or resort can significantly improve the patient's well-being.True, they are sent there only in the final, regressive stage of the disease, as a final means of complex therapy.In addition to the fact that in such an institution the patient is prescribed various procedures, the opportunity to take a break from everyday worries and a more favorable environmental environment further contribute to recovery.

In addition to prescribing conventional medications, the sanatorium or resort will necessarily provide dietary nutrition, physical therapy, as well as medicinal baths and procedures.Depending on the location, the sanatorium can offer baths of hydrogen sulfide, silicon, radon, bromine-iodine and others.A good sanatorium will fill you with energy for many months.

Conclusion

Complex therapy is often used to treat psoriasis.Only an integrated approach can achieve good results, since any type of individual treatment will be ineffective, especially in the later stages of treatment.